By Russ Ragan
It was a wild tournament that featured a little bit of everything, as the Dodge County High Lady Indians returned to Columbus in the AA Elite 8 Softball Tournament. The Lady Indians played great, as they hung with top-ranked and eventual state champion Rockmart until the very last pitch in a 5-4 tough loss.
By the way, Rockmart is also ranked number seven in the nation by Max Preps. Also, they have 15 of the top 20 teams in the nation from the state of Georgia.
Friday would be the longest day and night in many moons for players, coaches and fans of the Lady Indians.
The day started out innocently enough, as they beat Bacon County 9-2 in a 12:00 p.m. game.
Next up was Harlem. Yes, that Harlem that broke all of our hearts in a 3-2 loss in Columbus last year.
The game was a battle, but this time, it would be Dodge that would be the heartbreaker and take a 2-0 win.
Harlem entered the state tournament ranked number two in AA and 71 in the nation.
I guess the game shocked the softball world. Well, it shouldn’t have, because I really think Dodge was the better team! What is Dodge’s ranking you ask?
Well, they were number five in AA and 216 in the nation. Don’t ask me how these rankings are done; I have no clue.
Then, the wait was on, as they had to wait until the 8:00 p.m. scheduled game against Banks County. The wait would be until nearly 9:30 p.m., as powerhouse Buford out of AAAAA were in a long battle. By the way, Buford did not win a championship this year, which is strange.
The game with number four Bacon was tough, as the Lady Indians were in it until the end, but fell just short in a 2-1 loss.
Okay, now off to Thursday’s game one against mighty Rockmart.
Dodge sent Jade Dowdy to the mound in game one. Dowdy got a pair of strikeouts in the first two innings, and we are scoreless going into the third.
It would be Dodge that drew first blood. Amber Maxwell would double to right center to lead off the inning. She would go to third on a well-placed bunt by Jenna Hickman.
A wild pitch would bring her home for a 1-0 lead. Rockmart would rally in its half on the inning with three runs to take a 3-1 lead, but Dodge would come back.
Jacey Dowdy would lead off the fourth with a long homer to left center, and Dodge would cut it to a 3-2 game.
Jade Dowdy did a great job keeping the high-powered offense contained.
The Lady Jackets would add a pair of runs in the fifth for a 5-2 game. Down three going to the seventh, you guessed it, here came the Lady Indians yet again.
Singles from Aniyah Black and Abby Manning, coupled with a walk to Jacey Dowdy would load the bases.
A hit from Maxwell would score Manning and Europe Brown for a 5-4 game. Unfortunately, that would be it, and Dodge would fall 5-4.
Off to Friday we go and a rematch from last year against Bacon County. Dodge won last year over Bacon in Columbus.
Freshman Linzy Bowen would get the start on the mound for Dodge. She worked around a first inning walk and a first and second and nobody out jam in the second, as she had three strikeouts.
Dodge would go to work in the top of the third. Julianna Bellflower would start in the inning by taking a pitch in the back and reaching first. With one out, Black would double her home for a 1-0 lead.
A single from Manning would take second on the throw. Jacey Dowdy would hit a big double scoring Black and Manning for a 3-0 game.
The speedy Europe Brown would run for Jacey Dowdy at second.
With two out, coach Bellflower would go for the steal at third, which Brown made easily, and the throw was bad, and Brown would score for a 4-0 Dodge lead.
Bacon would get one run back in the bottom of the third. The Lady Indians would answer right back in the top of the fourth.
Maxwell would single and score, and the Dodge lead would go back to four at 5-1.
Bowen would get some help from her defense in the fourth.
Bowen would walk to the lead off batter, but she would get a line drive to Manning at third, and she threw to Sara Lann at first for the double play.
Bacon would hit a second solo homer to cut the Dodge lead to 5-2 going to the sixth.
It would be a big inning for Dodge.
With one out, singles by Bellflower and Logan White (her third of the game) and a walk to Black would load the bases. Manning would get a big double that scored Bellflower and White for a 7-2 game.
With two out, Lann would single home Black and Manning, and the lead was suddenly 9-2.
Bacon mounted a small rally in the sixth, as they had first and second with one out. A strikeout and a fly ball to right would end the inning.
No drama in the seventh, as Bowen got out the side in order, and Dodge would be ready for a rematch with Harlem.
To the rematch with Harlem. The game would be similar in some ways.
The pitching would be strong; Skyler Wiggins for Harlem and Jade Dowdy for Dodge. Yes, Harlem still had a lot of team speed, but maybe not quite as last year.
Harlem got a lead-off single, and maybe you are thinking oh no, but on the stolen base attempt, Jacey Dowdy would throw a strike to Black at second to cut down the runner.
Ironically, it would be the only stolen base attempt of the night by Harlem.
Dodge would get singles from White and Manning, along with a walk to Black to load the bases in the first, but Dodge failed to score.
It would really become a pitcher’s dual after that for a while.
Jade Dowdy would allow two hits and strike out three through the middle innings. Then came the Dodge fifth.
Let me say that the Harlem defense plays a shallow outfield to attempt to cut off a possible single. It wouldn’t work on this day.
With one out, White would reach on an error, and Black would walk for the third time.
That would bring up Manning. She hit a shot to center (remember they are playing shallow), and it went over the center fielder’s head.
White scored and Black was right behind her, as she flew around the bases to score, and it was 2-0 after Manning’s double.
The game went to the sixth. Harlem decided to test Manning at third base, but it would be a bad idea.
The junior ate up three ground balls in a six-pitch stretch, including one really good play on the backhand. The Harlem heart of the order went down on six pitches.
Jenna Hickman had a two-out triple, as she hit it deep to right, but she was stranded, and it was 2-0 going to the seventh.
Harlem decided to take one more shot to third, but for the fourth straight play, Manning threw out the runner. Harlem did get a double with two out, I guess for dramatic effect. Jade Dowdy would induce a fly ball to Maxwell in right, and the junior would squeeze it for the 2-0 final.
Then, the long, long wait for both Dodge and Banks County, who finished about the same time. The next game featured a Dodge team that could get little going, and Banks, who couldn’t get the big hit.
The Lady Indians trailed 1-0 going to the bottom of the fifth. Jenna Hickman would be hit by a pitch with one out, and she would advance to second on a wild pitch.
With two out, freshman White would single home Hickman and the game would be tied at 1-1.
White would have five hits on Friday on the big stage. Unfortunately, Banks would reclaim the lead in the sixth and take a 2-1 lead. That would be the final as Dodge would fall 2-1.
It was another great year for the Lady Indians. They backed up last year’s third place finish with a fourth this year.
It would be the third top-four finish for seniors Hailey Hickman, Julianna Bellflower and Sara Lann.
It was also a great year for coaches Jennifer Bellflower, Meaghan McCranie and Kenton Haley, who have lead this team to top-four finishes in their first two years on the job.
This Dodge County High School Lady Indians’ softball team will be very dangerous in 2018.
Get ready for another wild ride!

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